COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN SCHOOLS

For long, many Africa Nations have made giant strides in expanding their educational systems. Some of then have expanded their systems especially at the Primary level in response to the 1961 Addis Ababa Conference that set for the continent the target of achieving free and compulsory universal primary education by the year 1980.

Others apart from this, see the achievement of universal primary education as a measure of international prestige and a symbol of emancipation. A good number of these nations have also expanded the facilities at the secondary and tertiary levels of education in the strong belief that such investments will yield high returns.

No doubt, the issue of quality is not however, peculiar to the educational systems of the developing world, even, some advanced countries have often expressed concern about the quality of their own educational system.

Some Nigerian communities have been playing a pivotal role towards developing schools in their environment, thereby enhancing educational quality and interactions between the community and the schools.

Considering the challenges facing quality education delivery in the country, it is evident that there is a compelling need for all stakeholders in the sector to make genuine and concerted commitment towards pooling together resources, intellectual, ability and capabilities towards ensuring that basic educational delivery does not become an overbearing task borne by an entity called “Government”.

Involvement of communities in the affairs or management of schools would no doubt afford teachers the opportunity to know more about the people and the life of the community. It will also afford them the opportunity to know the history, culture, norms, values, problems and needs, its resources in the form of men, things and places, its folklore, the interest groups in the Community and so forth, thereby enabling teachers to relate lessons to the environment of the school.

Thus, if Universal Basic Education Programme must succeed, it must truly be seen and implemented as the peoples programme and community participation will therefore serve as proof of the fact that ‘Education for All” is truly the responsibility of all and a means of achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Nigeria by the year 2015.

It is also on record that the NCE meeting of December, 2005 held in Ibadan , the Oyo State Capital, approved the Policy for he establishment of School Based Management Committees in all Universal Basic Education Schools in the Country. The initiative will enable community members the opportunity of playing distinctive roles in actualising interest and capabilities towards the improvement of Basic Education system and administration.

Although, establishment of School Management Committee (SMCs) in Nigeria dates back to the era of the introduction of missionary schools they were then established to manage and raise funds for the missionary schools. Until early nineteen eighties when government took over the schools and dissolved the SMCs, they were functional and coordinated.

Today, the involvement of parents in school matters in most of the communities is usually through the Parent Teacher Association (PTA). With a few exceptions, the traditional role of the PTAs has been that of making financial contributions to schools. These contributions being discouraged by some state governments in the country for some reasons are usually used for proving some needed facilities and procuring some materials and equipment that may be lacking in the schools.

The involvement of the community in the life of their schools has recently gone beyond mere financial contributions by PTAs, as educational development in some parts of the country are truly through communal efforts.

It is therefore imperative for the States Chapters of the Parent Teacher Association to co-opt other stakeholders in the Education Sector in enlightening, and sensitizing the public on the need not to sit on the fence but to stand up and contribute their positive quota to the improvement of quality teaching and learning in the State.

Undoubtedly, Girls education which tends to the promotion of gender equality in education is vital to development, and policies and actions that do not address gender disparities miss critical development opportunities.

According to the United Nations Educationally Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in two thousand and five, thirty years ago, girls represented thirty eight percent of primary enrollments in low-income counties and boys, sixty-two percent. Today the gender gap has narrowed with girls representing forty-eight percent and boys fifty-two per cent of primary enrollments.

Yet, the level of enrollment of girls are very low compared to their boys counterpart and if development could be achieved in all spheres of life, enlightenments on the enrollment of girls education must be intensified.

Indeed, gender differential access to school is usually caused by poverty, adverse cultural practices, schooling quality and distance to schools.

However, there are some emerging challenges that reduce girls’ enrollment in primary, secondary and tertiary education.

These challenges include HIV/AIDS, conflicts, emergencies and other fragile situations, gender-based violence and information technology gender gap.

Recalling the Millennium Development Goals of gender parity in primary and secondary education by 2005, no doubt, the goal failed abysmally in most regions.

Hence, there is substantial cause for optimism as most developing countries are no cause for closing gender gap in primary enrollment by 2015 if they continue at present rates of progress in enrollment and attendance rates.

It must be noted that Girls education yield some of the highest returns of all development investment, yielding both private and social benefits that accrue to individuals, families and society at large.

To this end, the popular wise saying of “when you education a man, you educate an individual but when you educate a woman, you educate a nation” should not be undermined to ensure positive result.

With this assertion, no doubt, an educated woman will impact positively on the family. Because, her education will greatly assist in reducing maternal and infant mortality, fight poverty and raise her children to become responsible members of the society, while responsible children coming from such responsible families will ensure a socially responsible society.

Statistically, a publication by a Non-Governmental Organization, Global Campaign for Education, States that girl make up about fifty-six per cent of the seventy-seven million children not in school in Nigeria .

Speaking recently in Bauchi at the commencement of the Nigerian Girl-Child Education Initiative, the Nigerian First Lady, Hajia Turai Yar’Adua appealed to Emirs and Chiefs in the nineteen Northern States to sensitize their subjects on the importance of the girl-child education.

Hajia Yar’Adua said the traditional rulers had a strategic role to play in encouraging parents to sent their wards to schools and promote growth, adding that educating the girl-child would enhance the socio-economic status of women in the Country.

It is therefore pertinent to step up efforts at educating the public on girl-child education with a view to attracting more parents to enroll their children after seeing the success of other girls while government alone should not be left along to empower women and reduce fundamental problems facing womenfolk.